MARTIN O'Neill has absolved young midfielder Isaiah Osbourne of any blame for Villa's midweek Carling Cup shocker against Leicester.

The rookie was substituted with 19 minutes left of Villa's dismal show having exerted nothing like the influence he did on his first start of the season at Wrexham.

Where Osbourne had been dominant at the Racecourse Ground, like the rest of his more senior team-mates, he struggled to get the better of a determined Foxes.

But O'Neill has high hopes for the local-born teenager, and although he looks set for a short time away from the squad as the Premier League action resumes at Tottenham on Monday, the boss knows he will come roaring back.

"He's done excellently in training and I haven't even remotely thought about laying any blame at Isaiah's door," said O'Neill, who had made six changes to the team that had beaten Everton just three days earlier.

"Sometimes I've changed the side around in my managerial career and it's cost me. I wanted some players to play, such as Isaiah Osbourne, but you have to earn the right to be in the team and that's a big lesson.

"I was torn between making sure people played who you think are doing well.

"Isaiah came in and didn't do too badly considering it was his first appearance since Wrexham, where he did very well indeed."

Osbourne came from nowhere at the end of last season to make his debut as an 83rd-minute substitute against Fulham last October and then a full debut three days later against Leicester in the win at the Walkers Stadium.

O'Neill sees a big improvement in Osbourne since those early appearances in claret and blue.

"Isaiah was excellent against Wrexham in the Carling Cup and he's definitely improving as a player. He's a much better player than he was last season and he's making really good progress. I can see him making really good strides this season."

Osbourne played some huge games last season, including starts against Liverpool at Anfield, Everton at Goodison Park, Portsmouth at Fratton Park and Manchester United at Old Trafford in January, which proved to be his swansong. After the 3-1 Premier League defeat he was taken out of the limelight for the rest of the season.

"He was asked to play in some really major games last winter and he did absolutely fine," recalls O'Neill. "That experience has improved him. When you've played in such games against that quality of opposition, then it should only get easier after that.

"Isaiah has got a lot of potential. Of course, young players have ups and downs, that's only to be expected when he's learning his trade.

"But his whole approach to the game is so refreshing. He can pass it and he can run with it.

"He's got really good natural ability and it's encouraging. He'll give some sloppy passes away but most of the time he's looking to play the right ball. He says his hero is Patrick Vieira - and that's not a bad person to aspire to!"